Are you really leaving? Many media predicted that Antetokounmpo might join New York, which led to his departure in three aspects!

As the new season is about to start, many US media have revealed the news that the 30-year-old "Greek Monster" Giannis Antetokounmpo is likely to leave the Bucks in the future. Even Kendrick Perkins, who has become a senior media person, said on a show that Antetokounmpo will leave the team before the end of this season. And his next stop will most likely be the New York Knicks, because Antetokounmpo himself has expressed a certain interest in New York. After winning the championship in 2021, the Bucks have indeed struggled in the past four years. Let us take a look at what exactly caused Antetokounmpo to leave the Bucks after 12 seasons!

The record continues to decline, and the Eastern pattern has been overturned.

First of all, the biggest problem is that since winning the championship, the Bucks' record in these years has been sluggish. In the 21-22 season, they had a chance to defend the title, but lost to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. After that, the team stopped in the first round of the playoffs for three consecutive years. In the 22-23 season, they were ranked first in the Eastern Conference and were defeated by the Heat. The total score was a shameful 1:4. This is a difficult situation for Antetokounmpo to accept.

Not only that, they were defeated by the Pacers in the past two seasons, which made Antetokounmpo even more anxious. You know, Antetokounmpo has maintained a very high level of performance over the years, averaging 30+10+5 per game, and has been selected for the All-NBA First Team consecutively. However, apart from these, he has only won one NBA Cup championship. Such a record is indeed difficult to satisfy.

At the same time, the pattern of the Eastern Conference has undergone subversive changes. The Bucks have been directly downgraded from a championship-level team in the past to a playoff-level team. The Cavaliers, Celtics, and Knicks have all completed their rise one after another, and even the Pacers have reached the Finals with the help of Taylor Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.

You must know that although the Bucks' record in the past few seasons was not good, the overall team lineup at that time was still good. Under this situation, they still could not break out of the Eastern Conference, and even the Eastern Conference finals became a luxury. Antetokounmpo, who has passed his thirtieth year, naturally cannot be satisfied. After all, after the age of 30, physical fitness and status will fluctuate. If he does not seize the opportunity, Antetokounmpo will only get further and further away from his next championship trophy, and it is possible that he cannot win a second championship.

The signings are getting worse and worse, and it is difficult to attract top combat forces.

In addition, there are also big problems in the Bucks' lineup in recent years. Although they have retained the members who won the championship in 2021, their condition has become worse as they get older. The most obvious ones are Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton and others. But what is helpless is that these players have left the team one after another, but the team still cannot find players who can replace their roles.

Both Damian Lillard and Kyle Kuzma failed to produce the expected chemical reaction with Antetokounmpo. If Lillard made the fans a little disappointed due to injuries, then Kuzma should not be at all. He can produce close to 21+7+3 level data with the Wizards, but he directly encountered Waterloo last season, and completely became a cash machine for the Pacers in the playoffs. In addition, the team's transactions are also confusing. The sending away of Jrue Holiday in the 22-23 season directly caused the paralysis of the team's backcourt defense, which ultimately led to the current situation.

Of course, the biggest problem restricting the Bucks' record is that the city of Milwaukee is difficult to attract top players to join. Lillard has been considered a good signing in the past two years, but in fact, Lillard's first choice at the time was not the Bucks. If the Heat had not been playing tricks, maybe he would have become a member of Miami.

Looking at the signings this offseason, although they acquired Myles Turner and successfully retained Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr. and others, these players can only be regarded as outstanding role players at best. If they want to break out of the Eastern Conference again, relying on them alone is completely insufficient. And it needs to be clear that these players were only acquired under Antetokounmpo's recruitment. Without Antetokounmpo, I am afraid that the Bucks' recruitment will only be worse, which makes Antetokounmpo even more unbearable.

It is difficult for the Bucks to continue to support Antetokounmpo's ambitions.

Finally, let’s talk about the most critical point, which is Antetokounmpo’s own wishes. Although he has become the greatest player in the history of the Bucks and has played for the team for 12 seasons, and is already regarded as one of the representatives of one man, one city, this does not mean that he does not have further ambitions. As one of the most prosperous cities in the world, New York can bring Antetokounmpo brand and business influence that far exceeds that of Milwaukee. For Antetokounmpo, who has completed a personal honor Grand Slam, even if he cannot win the championship in New York, the salary and brand endorsements he brings are something Milwaukee cannot provide.

Moreover, Dolan, the owner of the Knicks, has always been an owner who advocates top stars in building a team. He is willing to give the players enough say and listen to the opinions of the players, especially the stars, which is also something the Bucks cannot do. So in summary, joining the Knicks is indeed a step forward for Antetokounmpo.